Statement on “Project Marvel” Raids in Hamilton

NO MORE POLICE TERROR IN OUR CITY!

Hamilton CopWatch statement on recent ‘Project Marvel’ raids

On Tuesday December 13th Toronto police launched a coordinated series of pre-dawn raids across Canada involving over 900 cops from several jurisdictions executing 67 warrants targeting Toronto based ‘street gangs’ and their extended networks. Locally a total of 5 homes were attacked by Hamilton and Toronto Police, including the residence of a 68-year-old Sharon McCrudden (Toronto Police later admitted they had the wrong address) and another of Pamela Markland and her 6 children. Despite the use of dangerous paramilitary tactics, Hamilton Police have come up with no arrests or charges as a result of the raids.

Hamilton CopWatch have been patrolling downtown in recent weeks. They report on their efforts and a minor run in with the cops at Occupy Hamilton on their website,

Read about it here

By DevinK

The Hamilton Police encountered some uninvited guests at their annual Police Man’s Ball, held September 22 at LIUNA Hall. The Ball, or Chief’s Gala as it was called this year, was a high class, $125-per-plate affair hosted by Chief Glenn De Caire. The party crashers, on the other hand, were roughly 50 loud and angry Hamiltonians responding to a call out issued by 905 Against Police Brutality to form a “People’s Gala” to celebrate resistance to police abuse in our communities.

OFFICIAL NOTICE: K.C.C.S raided by police

The Kingston Compassion Club Society was shut down by the Kingston Police on Sunday June 19th. They seized the location and product without a warrant. The Kingston Police served a search warrant for the K.C.C.S on Tuesday June 21st, for our computer system and records and patient files. This was brought on by a former worker of the K.C.C.S, who made false allegations to the police, at the police station, about the K.C.C.S, on Sunday June 19th.

Currently all workers of the K.C.C.S face charges of trafficking. The members of the K.C.C.S, who all have a legal need and doctor supervised use of cannabis therapy, are now forced back to street dealers until the K.C.C.S re-opens. Their Section 7 Rights have been violated. Our landlords still support the K.C.C.S and its purpose, as do all of our local community agencies and allies.

Some people may have seen this article already, which has been making its rounds on Facebook and the blogosphere, but INCITE! blog editors loved it so much that they wanted to share it and I couldn't agree with them more!

This article is particularly relevant in Ontario given the recent infiltration of various anarchist and activist groups in the province and ongoing misogynistic bullshit in our movements.

The piece was originally published in make/shift magazine’s Spring/Summer 2010 issue and written by Courtney Desiree Morris.

Why Misogynists Make Great Informants: How Gender Violence on the Left Enables State Violence in Radical Movements
By Courtney Desiree Morris

by Lesley Wood
Toronto Media Co-op

During last week’s G20 summit, police arrested or detained over a thousand people. With guns drawn, they kicked people awake, they threatened, pepper sprayed, TASERed, tear gassed and beat those in the streets. Although the politicians declared the policing at the summit a success, popular anger at the police is at an all time high. At such moments, it is important to look closely at the tactics and strategy that were used to police dissent, not least because the models that are considered successful, tend to spread.

How was the summit in Toronto policed? The website for the Integrated Security Unit argues that “The approach to the Summit would be best described as an expanded version of our approach to previous events based on best practices and the lessons learned.” This seems obvious. However the ‘expansion’ included some new and worrying elements.

by Jeff Shantz
State repression columnist

In events like the G20 protests and clampdown there emerge real opportunities for recognition and understanding that are not always so readily available behind the screen of “business as usual.” The learning curve shifts and some things become much more clear.

Riot Police protect the banks at King and Bay, June 26, 2010, PHOTO: Ali Mustafa (cc)

by Jeff Shantz
State Repression Columnist

In the days following the mass police assaults on organizers, demonstrators, and bystanders during the G8/G20 events, even as comrades linger in squalid detention centres and jails, a troubling notion is taking shape, seemingly gaining traction, among activist circles as well as some sectors of the general public more broadly. This notion suggests that the police in Toronto acted in a way that was somehow atypical or out of the ordinary. Even more there is a sense that the police could have “kept order.” Some public discussion suggests that policing during the G8/G20 reflects a breakdown, a failure to carry out their duties “properly.” Incredibly, during a rally in support of people in detention, Naomi Klein suggested that the police “Do your god-damned job!” In response many in the crowd chanted “Do your job! Do your job!” Elsewhere, and even more incredibly, Judy Rebick has suggested that the were police failed to do their jobs properly in not arresting perceived black block participants: “What they could have done is arrest the Black Bloc at the beginning before they had a chance to be part of the bigger crowd and that's what they didn't do.” Some seem to believe that the police were supposed to be there to protect them or that the police provide the means for “protest” to take place.

By Paul M.

The global protectors of capitalism will descend on Toronto this June to discuss how to best increase corporate profit rates while simultaneously selling belt tightening measures to societies already ravaged by a global recession. Imperialist wars, global poverty, and environmental destruction are massive problems that affect billions of people across the globe. How can we be sure that such important people as the leaders of the G20 will be protected from the vindictive mob of labor activists, environmentalists, immigration rights and anti-poverty organizations who will seek to hold them accountable?

By Jeff Shantz
State Repression Columnist

Only a few days into the Olympic spectacle and much talk had turned to black blocs and a few broken insured Hudson Bay Company windows. Yet much of the discussion has been framed within a strange liberal duality of choices between militant demonstrations (said to be offensive to working class observers) and supposedly “peaceful” symbolic protests, like the march the night of the opening ceremonies (which is presented as more palatable to working class audiences). As if the actions of the demonstrators are the real question and determine the structure of events. Anyone who has ever been on a picket line might find this a bit strange —working class folks have never been involved in dust ups with the cops?— and it has me reflecting not so much on the specific actions in Vancouver as on the broader context for policing and protests.